St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-02-19

things would have ended if it hadn't
been for-but there! shall be telling
the end of my story before l get to the
middle, if 1 don't 60 right back.
The very morning I have been writ
ing about, the old folks were sitting
before the fire thinking of their daugh-
ter, when they were startled by tho
faint tinkle of the door bell.
II think Ihear the BELL" said Squire
Lance to his wife, hadn't you better
| see9 I don't think Mary could hear
it."
MAY be its the letter man, but, if it
is. he's late" said the old lady.
When she opened the door, instead
| of the letter man she found her grand
daughter standing on tip-toe, trying to
reach the bell again. For minute
Mrs. Lance felt faint with fear; was
her daughter sick, and had she sent
this little one to tell her? She stopped
down to take what she thought was a
note from the child's hand, but Baby
put her hands behind her.
why, my pet, won't you give it to
grandma? did mamma send it? Is she
sick?'
Baby shook her head, too much out
of breath to speak, for Squire Lance's
steps We're hard to climb.
You have left the door open,
mother" called the old man, "Who's
there?n
Its me, gran'pa," painted the little
one, escaping from her grandmother
and entering the room where the old
Squire sat. Rover followed close be-
hind his mistress, and the old lady
brought up the rear.
Here's Waluntine for you, gran.
pa said Baby, and laid the envelope
longer white envelope, for it had fall
en- on the ground two or three times,
and both Baby and Rover had stepped
on it in their efforts to pick it up.
whats a waluntine?" asked hel
grandfather, not sure whether to Do
angry and order her out of the house
or to laugh at her and her valentine.
One look at his wife's wistful face de-
cided him.
"A waluntine is a pretty letter with
flowers on it. Open it, and the little
girl smiled up at the old man conf.
IDENTIFY.
I'm cold," she said the next minute,
stretching out her hands to the fire.
"Who brought you here?" asked the
Squire, presently, looking at her in
stead of at the valentine.
Rover, didn't you, Rover?" atwhich
Rover beat Eyes with his tail on the
carpet.
Her grandmother now bent over her
and pulled off the little mittens.
"Where is your mamma, baby?"
"Gone down town for papa's med.
icine.'
Then she escaped to the Squirrels side,
whom she probably considered was
paying too little attention to her Of
fering.
'It is pretty waluntine, gran'pa.
Ned gave it to me-"
w HIT fOul llttiC Slhi'
Ruth May. Is your foot sick, gram
pa? Baby's sorry. Baby brought the
waluntine because yours flew away.
Was it a nice one?" And the little
girl edged close up to the old mans
knee.
There was something like tear in
the proud Squire's eye as he answered.
eyes, my pretty valentine flew away,
and now you'll have to be my valen-
tine. Will you stay with grandpa, lit
tie Ruth?''
ssrm mammals waluntine. / must
90 now. think we live most mile
away"
Though his rheumatic knee gave him
great pain when he moved, the old man
stopped and lifted his granddaughter
his lap.
sWil you kiss me?" he asked, as if
it were great favor
Eyes, you arn't bit cross"
"Who said I WASP"
s.Sallie said you would chase me
away, but you didn't, did you, gram
PAP"
"No, my dear, and 1 hope I never
will
And he never did; for soon after Mr..
and Mrs. May went to live at the big
house. Of all the grandchildren that
the Squire now has Ruth is still the
favorite, the one he always calls gram
pas notwithstanding Hunt, IN Neso
York Tribune.
Near the Geological Gardens, Phila
delphia, recently a man was walking
on the track of the Pennsylvania rail-
way as an engine was approaching.
Head Keeper Byrne, of the garden,
shouted warning to him. The train